Tillage implement



Nov. 9, 1926. 1, 06,263

C. T. RAY

TILLAGE IMPLEMENT Filed August 31, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 grvuentov al fozwzg Nov. 9 ,-19 26. 1,606,261

c. T. RAY v TILLAGE IMPLEMENT Filed August 31, 1921 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 9 1926. 1,606,261

I C. T; RAY

T ILLAGE IMPLEMENT Filed August 31 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 I Nov. 9 1926. 1,606,261

c. 'T. RAY

TILLAGE IMPLEMENT Filed August 31, 1921 4 SheetsSheet 4 Patented Nov. 9, 19260 entree sreres CHARLES 'r.

Paren RAY, or rioprsvn iin knnroon As'srenon T 3. IE. AVERY & sons; or

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, A oomossmon or KENTUCKY.

TILLAGE IMPLEMENT.

Application filed August 31, i921. Serial'No. 497,223.

This invention has particularreference to tillage implements of the Wheel plow class,

including two-way; sulky plows, listers and the like, Whose frames are;supported' malnly by side wheels which in crossing, the field alternately in opposite directions interchangeahly and respectively serve as land and furrow wheels. In such implements the frame should remain level while the served as the land wheel when crossing the field in one direction may heco me the fur-s row wheel when crossing the field 1n the the first mentioned crossing was. the fur row Wheel may in the second mentioned crossing become the land wheel, vthe frame remaining at the same level. inhoth cross;

ing's. In such implements provision should also be inade for the raising of the soilsworkiadjusting it to produce. a. furrowof any one of-several diiterentdepths, selectively. Finally, themechanlsmTshouid not only be such (1) that the adjustirientsofthelwheels it nus is 1-: 1 such that the wheels. nterchangeably and alternately become land" and ffurro 'v"wn'eels,

respectively, and ithe adjustmen it the soil working element nomitranspe t to wvoiliing position inn-d from workin ,7 tion to transport .pos1t10n,. and Vselectlvely to produce furl owsf of litlerent fde'p hs, may he made, but, mereover; the means for rendering such. adjustn'ient"possible hould be i i nd'duof simple nature, should b e'stron'g table, and should be such that-"theiadjust the provision of a tillage implement comorising a mainframe, wheels to'support the land and furrow I side thereof, 'a "suitably mounted soil working- ,ele 'ent .pf apprqf inder oiitrol i'ng member to transpo-i't'po'sition and for tiyely, vertical movement of either supportn vwheel: relatively to the "plane of the Irame and slrnultaneously therewith 'to corresponding movement ofthe soil worlnng element. In a more: particular sense the invention comprehends a correlation of parts'such thatfthe simultaneous movements or either supportiiigwheel and the soil working element are in opposite directio-ns. ''And in a still vmore particular sensge'this part of the inventionj compreheiids r v. ofthefframe,respectively, separately open opposite direction and the wheel whichin f 1811f whereby (1) one of the supporting Wheelsma'y he raisedrelati'vely to the plane of the frame 'by' operation of the cone s o'ndinglever "Wi tliou't affecting theYrespective positions I of the other 1e v'e'r nand Wheel and 'si1ni1ar1'y,"th lattenwheelmay bejlowered" relatively to the'plafne of the frarne 'hy operation oi" its corresponding V I, p h I r 'levenw fihbfi' afie 'tmg' the respectiveposirelatively to the plane oftheyfrarn may be tioned Wheel; (3) the'operative" connection between both wheels and the ground working ele'mentf'may be broken, at will, toper- 'mit" independent adji 1stm ent of 'the'soil working element or of either or both wheels, relative to'the'plane of the frame.

In a very particular way, the invcntf comprehends as the most' desirah'le ment now known to metheprovis of a tillage implement having a main frame and independently adjustable supporting w 10 is ,for opposite sides'the'reo'f, respectively, with a beani'wh'icli"Carries a soil working element and has a swingingsupport mounted {on the frame, independently movable oper- ,atin'g levers, independent connections l etween said levers-and the wheels, respectively, one"'c 0n'n,e'ct1'0n operative by the "correspondlng lever to ra se onewhel' "and" the operative by its corresponding lever JUN to lower the other wheel, each relatively to the plane of the frame, and with separate latching means to hold the levers and hence the wheels releasably in adjusted position, and also with separately-releasable connec- 'tions between the respective levers and the ground working element and is connected" with the frame by a pivotally mounted ball, or its equivalent, whose swinging movement in the adjustments of the ground working element imparts upward and forward movement or rearward and downward movement, as the case may be, to the rear end of the beam relatively to the frame, with a means which causes the front end of the beam to rise with the forward and upward movement of the rear end thereof and similarly to fall with the rearward and downward movement of said rear end. This, among other things, assures the same angular relation of the bottom of the ground working element to the ground in all adjustments of said element for depth of pen etration into the soil- In a more particular sense the means whichconnects the front end of the beam and with the main frame of the implement has a member which is secured to the beam and is arranged at an inclination corresponding to the line of travel of the rear end of the beam during the. adjustment of the ground working element for depth of penetration and traverses a fixed guide carried by the frame and in a still more particular sens the said inclined member has its upper end. attached adjustably to the upper end of a brace or strut which is mounted forward of the guide on the main frame and has its lower end fixedly attachedto the forward end of the beam, the adjustable connection of the inclined member with the strut providing an adjustment which changes the pitch of the plow body for hard or soft land or to compensate for wear of the point. This pitch, however, is maintained in all adjustments for depth of furrow.

Another of the severally new and important features of the invention has relation to the structure of the frame, this being" such as to possess maximum strength with minimum weight.

All of the foregoing features are embodied in most desirable form'in the lister illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it will be understood that this is merely exemplary and that the features of the invention may be otherwise and variously embodied within the substance of the appended claims.

} form of the invention.

Figs. 2 and 3 are longitudinal sectional views showing the mechanism from opposite sides respectively.

Fig. l is'a transverse sectional view on the plane indicated by the line ll of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 55 of Fig. 2.

As already. seen, the implement contemplates a main frame (whose preferred construction is hereinafter set forth in detail) supporting wheels 10 for opposite sides of the frame, mounted to be independently adjustable relatively to the plane of the frame, whereby they may alternately and interchangeably become land and furrow wheels; a suitable ground working element, as a middlebreaker plow body 11, supported from the frame by means which permits it to be adjusted relatively to the plane there of; suitable actuating elements, as hand levers 12 and 13, arranged within convenient reach from a drivers seat 14-; and connections between each actuating element and the corresponding wheel 10 and between both actuating elements and the ground working element, said connections includ ng disengageable elements; with all the parts referred to so correlated that (1) either wheel may be adjusted to become a furrow wheel without disturbing th position of the other, the ground working element may be adjusted relatively to the plane of the frame simultaneously with the ustment of either wheel and from the same actuating element which is operated to adjust either wheel, and (3) relative adjustment of either, or both, wheels and the ground working element is permitted. The various adjustments referred to contemplate all those which will be required in actual service, i. e., movement of the ground working element from ground workingposition to transport position and from transport position to ground working position, movement of each wheel to become a land wheel and a furrow wheel alternately, and the adjustmentsrequired in the setting of the ground working element selectively for different depths of furrows. The mechanism, furthermore, is such that the frame will remain level at all adjustments.

The supporting wheels 10 are carried by independent crank axles 11 journaled upon the frame, so that when either is moved in a clockwise direction, a lowering tendency'will be exerted upon the corresponding wheel 10, thereby causing the corresponding side of the frame to rise if the wheels are on level ground, or causing the wheel to lower to run in a furrow Which has been formed, without llfi disturbing the level position of the frame; The ground working element 15, hereinafter called plow body,lis carried by a beam 16 which is supported, mainly, forver'tical adjustment by a bail orlooped hanger 18 which is ,movable selectively and interchangeably by the hand levers 12 or 13, or other appropriate actuating elements, common to the wheels and said plow body. The draft is applied to said beam, through the medium of appropriate appliances 17 at the front end of the beam. V v

The crank axles 11, preferably, are yieldingly impelled toward a normal or neutral position, as by springs 19 connected with arms 20 which also, through links 21, serve as the means by which the levers 12, 13 convey motion'to the crank axles. Said levers traverse toothed segments 22 and carry yielding dogs 28 for engagement therewith to lock the levers and side wheels in adjusted positions- The main support of the plow body con- 7 sisting of the bail or looped hanger 18 preferably constitutes a part of a crank shaft 24 mounted in suitable bearings on the frame, and serves to move the plow body in an arcuate path in effecting its elevation and depression or movement in a vertical plane. And in order to maintain horizontally, or uniformity of pitch ofthe plow body, the forward end of the beam is carried by a tangent bar 25, disposed in oblique relation with the beam in a vertical plane in the path of progress of the machine to traverse a guide or rest 26 on the frame. The tangent bar is arranged parallel-with a line drawn tangentially to the arc traversed by the plow body at a point about midway between the extremes of such are, or about midway between the limits of 'movement upward and downward thereof. The tangent bar 25 in'operation is fixed or stationary in relation to the beam and slides in the guide which may have an antlfriction retaining means such as the roll 27, but to vary the pitch of the plow body the said bar is adjustable in its angular re lation to the beam by means of the brace '28 having a series of openings 29 with which the bolt 30 maybe selectively engaged. It is designed to provide for a selective movement of the hanger which controls the position of the plow body by either of the hand levers which, however, as above indicated, in the illustrated embodiment of hand levers and provided with seats or notches 82'for engagement by latch bolts 33' mounted upon the hand levers and con the substantial trolledby trip levers 34 which are illustrated as treadlescarried by the hand levers and pivoted thereto, as at 35, said treadles being within convenient reach of the feet oi: the operator occupying the seat 14: and

being connectedwith the latch bolts by links 36. These latch bolts may he yieldingly held in] posit1on for engagement with the seats or notches 32 by suitable springs not shown, and the arms 31 are preferably provided with segmental guiding faces 31 which'act as cams to directthe extremities of the latch bolts into engagement with the example in Fig. 3, the treadle' 34; is located adjacent to the stationary foot rest at that side of -he machine.

At its rear end the frame is preferably supported by a caster wheel 39 which serves ,to follow'in the furrow produced by the plow, while the seat standardtO rises from the frame directly above the caster wheel.

The frame in thetype of machine used as an illustration of the invention consists of side bars ll-which are arranged in convergent relation attheir rear ends, asshown at as, for connection with-a bloclr 4:3 con .stltuting the supportvfor the sleeve bearing l of tliecaster wheel, and at their front ends the sidebars are arranged in forwardly convergent relation to constitute terminals bolted or otherwise securely'fastened to a front'cros's. bar 46 which is extended on rearwardly divergent lines corresponding with the inwardly directed terminals 45 of the side bars to form braces 47 for attach :ment to the hangers e8 which support the bearing bo-Xes l9 in which the crank axles are mounted at points adjacent to the angularly directed portions thereof. At their inner ends the crank axles are mounted in bear ngs- 50 attached 7 bars of the frame.

irectly to the side The segments which serve as the means whereby the hand levers may be held in their adjusted positions are connected transversely of the machine by a brace rod '51 fitted with a spacing sleeve 52 which bears terminally against the inner surfaces of the segments, and extending rearwardly and upw rdly from the bearing )0}: hangers d8 of the crank axles are braces 53 disposed on oblique lines both with reference to vertical and horizontal planes for connection at their rear ends with theses'ments by means of the terminals of theb'race rod 51 which extend. through said braces. 53 and are engaged by nuts 5401* the equivalents thereof.

upon the outer bearings for the'cranlc axles the braces 53 serve to brace said bearings both vertically and horizontally and SQI'WQ to communicate strain therefrom to the segments, which in turn are braced by the transverse rod and its embracing sleeve .52, to the end that a compact and strongly resistant stru ure is afforded through the agency of relativelylight members disposed essentially on the lines of strain and peculiarly adapted for cooperative action in maint ining a proper relative arrangement of the elements of the structure.

in operation, as will be obvious from the foregoing description, ither supporting wheel may be moved to vary its elevation or vertical position with rel ""on to the plane of the frame by the operation of its related hand lever, and at the same time the plow body bail or hanger may be moved by either hand lever to vary the position vertically with relation to the plane of the frame of the plow body, the movement of the plow body being in the opposite d rection to that of the wheel moved by the common lever. That is when a hand lever is coupled the corresponding crank shaft and is moved to depress the wheel which is connerted therewith, such movement serves to elevate the plow body, whereas a movement of the lever to elevate the connected wheel serves to depress I the plow body,substantially to; a corresponding extent. When the desired adjustment relatively of the wheel and the plow body have been effected the locking of the lever by the engagement of its dog with the segment secures the wheel and plow body'in the selected positions, subject however to variation in the position of the plow body with relation to the said wheel by the use of the other hand lever providing of course the first named hand lever is disengaged from the crank shaft and the second named lever is eiwaged herewith. Therefore, it is possible to effect the adjustment of either side wheel in the desired direction independently of the other wheel and'independently of the plow body or to effect an adjustment of either side wheel simultaneously with and in the opposite oir ct on from the plow body to the end that the positions of one side wheel and the plow body may be reversed with relation to the. frame alsowith relation to the opposite side wheel by a single movement of the proper lever at the ends of the rows when,

herein above indicated, he wheels at opposite sides of the frame alternately travel on the land and in a previously formed furrow the direction of movement oi the machine is changed.

I claim:

1. A tillage implement having a frame, movable supporting wheels, a movable plow body and manually operable means for selectively eflecting vertical movement of either of the wheels simultaneously with the plow body'and relatively to the frame.

2. A tillage implement having a frame, movable supporting wheels, a movable plow body and manually operable means for Selectively effecting vertical movement of either of the wheels and the plow body simultaneously in opposite directions relatively to the frame. I 7

3. In a tillage implement, the combination of a frame, independently adjustable ground body supported from the frame and adjustable relatively thereto, and means operative to adjust either wheel independently of the other and to adjust the plow body simultaneously with the adjustment of either of said wheels; comprising independently operative hand levers, connections between the hand levers and the wheels, respectively, and disengagable connection between each hand lever and the plow body.

5. In a tillage implement, the combination of a frame, round engaging wheels to sup port opposite sides of the frame, respectively, and adjustable relatively hereto, a plow body supported from the frame and adjustable relatively thereto and a plurality of operating means compris ng a plurality of inde-- pendently operative actuating el ments, adjusting connections between each actuating element and the plow body'and adjusting connections between the actuating elements and the wheels, respectively, the connections includingdisconnectible elements to permit separate adjustment, relatively, of the plow body and either or both wheels.

6. In a tillage implement, the combination of frame, ground engaging wheels to support opposite sides of the frame, respectively, a plow body supported from the frame, said wheels and said plow body each mounted to be adjustable relatively to the frame, and operating means having independent actuating elements provided w th adjusting connections to the wheels, respectively, and means to connect the actuating elements selectively with the plow body.

7. In a tillage implement, the combination of a frame, ground engaging wheels to support opposite sides of the frame, respectively, and independently adjustable relatively thereto, a plow body supported "from the of a frame, ground engaging wheels to supp opposite sides of the frame, respectively, and independently adjustable relatively thereto, a plow body supported from the frame, and adjustable relatively thereto, and separate operating means having actuatingclements connected with the plow body and with the respective wheels for effecting simultaneous movement of the corresponding wheel and of the plow body in opposite direc'tions relatively to the plane of the frame. .9; A tillage implement comprising a,

frame, movable wheels, a movable ground working member, independent means fora-djusting'th'e wheels, and a disengageable connection between the ground engagingfmemher and each wheel adjusting means.

10. In combination, a --frame, supporting wheels movable vertically with relation to said frame,-'independent means for controlling the position of each wheel, an element vertically movable with relation to a the frame and carrying a ground engaging member and means for releasably connecting said element with either wheelacontrolling means. 1

11. In a tillage-implement, the combination of a frame, a plow body, a plurality of independently adjustable supportingwheels for opposite sides of the frame, respectively,

and selectively operative means for adjusting the corresponding supporting wheel, relatively to the frame, without effecting the rel. ative position of the other supporting wheel and frame and for adjusting the plow body simiiltaneously with the adjusted wheeland oppositely thereto, the means for adjusting the plow body and wheels including, elements whereby the plow body is adjustedwhen either of the wheels is adjusted,v

12 A tillage implement .having wheel carrying crank axles, a plowca-rrying crank shaft, and means for independently connecta ing either crank axle with the crank shaft for simultaneous adjustment.

13. A tillage implement having wheel oarryireg cranlr'axles,"a plow carrying crank shaft, the cranks being arranged in a pendent relation respectively to the axles and shaft and means for independently connecting either crank axle with the crank shaft for simultaneous adjustment of the crank shaft and the connected crank axle.

14. A tillage implement having wheel carrying crank axles, a plow carrying crank shaft, the cranks being arranged 111 a pen-' dent relation respectively to the axles and shaftand disposed to swingtoward each. other in niovementffrom a vei 1' toward a horizontal position, and means forfinde pendentlyconnecting either crank axlewith the crank shaft for simultaneous adjustment.

A. tillage implement having: a plow body, suspended for forward and rearward swinging movement to effect elevation and depression thereof and provided with a draft beam, and a tangent bar carried by the beam for traversing a fixed guide, said bar being parallel with a tangentto the are of movementofthe plow body at a pointbetween the extremities of said movement and being adjustable augularly to vary its relation of tangency to the path of move menta I I p 16, In a tillage implement, a frame,-a groimd working member, a support, for the. ground working member, a swinging, coninectionbetween the rear portion of the sup-' port and the frame;,-fand means to connect the forward end of the support to the frame, cemprising a member rising fronisaid. end. of the support, an inclined arm whoserear end is connected to the supportat a point between said swinging connection and memher and whose forwardend is connected to. the upper end of said. member, and a fixed guide traversed by the inclined arm and guiding the same to traverse an inclined path parallel witha tangent to the arc of movement of the. ground working member.

17. In a tillage implement, a frame, a beam, a plow body carried by the beam, a swinging connection between the rear portion of the beam and the frame, and means to support the forward end of the beam; comprising a member-rising from the for ward end of the beam, an inclined arm whose, rear end is connected to the beam at a point. between said, swinging connection and member-and whoseforward end is adjustably connected to the upper end of said member, and a. fixed; guide traversed by the inclined arm and guiding the same to traverse an inclined path parallel with a tangentgto' the are of movement ofthe plow body," 18; Ina tillage implement of the wide tread type, a mainframe comprising side bars, having. conve rging" forward. ends and a front member havingdivergent end portions, secured to said forward ends of theside bars and extending outwardly and rear wa-rdly therefrom; crank axles; inner and outer bearings for said axles, theouter bearings connected to the outer ends of the divergent portions of the front frame member; brace members disposed on lines which are oblique to both vertical and horizontal planes and have their forward ends conneoted to the outer axle bearings, respectively; and means rigidly secured'to'the sides .lation to the plane'of the main frame.

20. A tillage implement having a wheel supported frame with laterally extending crank axles. hand levers for actuating the crank axles and having locking means including rigidly sustained segments rising at opposite sides of the frame, and outwardly convergent side'braces for sustaining outer bearings for the crank axles, the front braces being in the plane of the frame and the rear braces being disposed in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position with its rear end connected with the corresponding seg ment.

21. A; tillage implement having a wheel. supported frame with laterally extended crank axles and axle operating hand levers having locking means including, upstanding segments connected by a transverse brace bar, the outer bearings for the crank axles being carried by side frames having rearwardly, upwardly and inwardly inclined braces attached to said segments.

22. A. tillage implement having a wheel supported frame with' laterally extended crank axles and axle operating hand levers having locking means including upstanding.

segments connected by a transverse brace bar, the outer bearings for the crank axles being carried by side frames each of which embodies front and rear outwardly convergent braces, and means for securii'ig contiguous portions of said transverse brace bar and rear brace to each other and to the corresponding segment;

23. A tillage implement having a wheel supported frame and means including hand levers for varying the. plane of the frame with relation to respective supporting wheels thereof, a crank carried plow body, and means for coupling the respective hand levers releasably to the crank which carries the plow body.

24. A tillage implement having a wheel supported frame and-means including hand levers for varying the plane of the frame with relation to respective supporting wheels thereof, a crank carried plow body, and means for releasably coupling the respective hand levers to the crank which carries the plow body and including seat carrying arms on the crank and engaging lat-ch bolts onthe levers. Y r

25. A tillage implement having a wheel supported frame and means including a hand lever for varying the plane of the frame with relation to a supporting wheel thereof, a crank carried plow body, and means for coupling the hand lever to the crank which carries the plow body and including a seat carrying arm on the crank and an engaging latch bolt on the lever, the arm. having a cam faced guide leading to the seat. v

26. A tillage implement having a wheel supported frame and means including a hand lever for varying the plane of the frame with relation to a supporting wheel thereof, a' crank carried [plow body, and means for coupling the hand lever to the crank which carries the plow body and including a seat carrying arc'on the 'crank and a treadle actuated latch bolt on the hand lever. I

27. A tillage implement comprising, in combination, a supporting frame, supporting wheels for opposite sides of the frame, independently movable crank axles by which said wheels are carried, respectively, actuating levers, connections between said levers a'nd'cranks, respectively, means'to. hold the levers in selected positions, a plow body, a shaft having cranks to support the plow body from the frame, and means to lock the actuating levers severally. and releasably to said shaft.

28. A tillage implement having a wheel supported frame and means including hand levers for varying the plane of the frame with relation to respective supporting wheels thereof, a crank carried plow body, means for coupling the "respective hand levers re- Y leasably to the crank which carries the plow body, and means for locking either hand lever and the crank in adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature,

CHARLES .T. RAY. 

